Backstop for bowling alleys



June 7, 1949. A. B. HACKERT 2,472,208

BACKSTOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed March 15, 1945 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1' I a I u' w n s M- June 7, 1949. A. B. HACKERT BACKSTOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1945 Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in bumpers or back-stops for use in bowling and designed to stop the balls propelled toward the pins sought to be knocked down.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a bumper or back-stop of strong and durable construction so as to resist the impact of the balls when striking the same so that the bumper will not be distorted through constant use.

More specifically the invention comprises a rigid frame and rigid back together with means for swingably supporting the frame in the pit of a bowling alley and providing padding in front of the frame and covering the entire front surface thereof, and secured in position thereto by means of a front cover of flexible material attached to the top, bottom and side edges of the frame.

In order to avoid sagging of the filler toward the bottom of the frame by constant pounding of a bowling ball against the bumper, I provide a plurality of horizontally extending separators for the filler to form a plurality of horizontally extending chambers or pockets in which the filler is placed to thus overcome the tendency of the filler to sag toward the bottom of the frame.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view,

Figure 3 is a, front elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on a line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the separators forming the filler compartments in the bumper and the cover material attached thereto,

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the inner wearplate for the frame, and

Figure 8 is a similar view of the outer wearplate therefor.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a supporting hook.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the frame of the bumper or back-stop preferably constructed of wood and including horizontal frame members 6 and 1 connected at their ends by vertical frame members 8. A back 9 also preferably constructed of wood is attached to the rear edges of the frame, the frame thus forming a recess It forwardly of the back member 9.

A pad designated generally at l l is placed in the recess l0 and is formed of an inner sheet I2 of relatively heavy flexible material, such as leather, canvas or the like, with the upper and lower edges of the sheet extending forwardly beyond the frame 5 as shown to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings and having their outer edges bent angularly to form flanges I3 secured to a cover sheet [4 which may be of a double thickness of material.

The flanges [3 are preferably stitched only to the inner layer of the cover material so that the outer layer of the cover will extend over the stitching to protect the same and the edges of the cover 114 extend over the edges of the frame 5 and are secured thereto by means of tacks, nails or other suitable fasteners I5.

A filler or padding I6 is placed between the cover it and the outer surfaces of the frame 5 to protect the front edges of the frame and to serve as a bumper to prevent the bowling balls from striking the frame.

A plurality of separators l1 likewise of heavy flexible material and of U-shaped construction in cross section extend horizontally in spaced apart relation between the upper and lower edges of the inner sheet of material l2 and are secured thereto as well as to the cover M by means of the stitching I8. The separators I1 form a plurality of horizontally extending compartments l9 between the sheets of material l2 and I4 and within which loose filler or padding material 20, such as scraps of leather or the like, may be placed, the compartments IS with their fillers 20 therein thus filling the recess IU of the frame and projecting forwardly thereof to form a bumper for the balls.

A pair of rods 2| extend vertically through the frame 5, the upper ends of the rods being formed with eyes 22 adapted for suspension from hooks 23 attached to the underside of the planks 24 usually provided above the pit of a 3 bowling alley, the hooks being attached to the planks by means of bolts or the like 25.

An inner wear plate 26 of angular construction is secured at each of the lower inner reinforcing corners of the frame by means of bolts 21, the plate having a sleeve 28 welded or otherwise suitably attached thereto, or integrally formed therewith, and inserted in a vertical opening formed in the lower frame member 1.

To the bottom of the lower framem'einber 1 is attached an outer reinforcing wear-plate 29 by means of bolts 21, the outer wear-plate having an upwardly extending off-set 30 therein having an opening 3| for receiving the 'lower threaded end of the rod 2| which extends downwardly through the sleeve 28. The lowerehd of the rod 2| is secured in a fixed'position in fthe wear-plates by means of jamb nuts 32 and the off-set 3B in the outer wear-plate 29 serves -as a recess to accommodate the lower end of the rod as well as the 'lowermost nut-so that the same will not project outwardly of the frame to cause injury to the bowling ball lay-"striking the same.

The sleeve 28 and WearpIatesQBand -294prevent wear of the openings in the lower frame member 1 by the rod "2| during the constant swinging movement of the bumper-on the hooks 23 which is caused by the impact-of the bowling balls.

From the foregoing it will-be apparent that the separators 1 "i forming the-chambers for the filler 20 of the pad will maintain the -fi-llerevenly distributed throughout the entire area of the bumper andthus prevent sagging of the filler toward the lower edge thereof during constant pounding of the front surface of the bumper by the bowling balls.

The construction above described further provides a more durable and efficient bumper oapable of withstanding the severe pounding'to whichbuinpers of this characterarqsubjected.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings-it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to thoseskilledin the art. -A mored'etailed description thereof is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood howeventhat -even though I have herein "shown-anddes'cribed the preferred embodiment ofmy invention that the sa'me'is susceptible to certain changes "fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as hereindes'crib'ed, and the scope of'the appended claims.

, Having thus described the invention, what. I claim is:

1. A backstop for a bowling they comprising a unit adapted to 'be v'ertically'ariaii'g'ed with relation to 'an alley and 5 including 'a name having an open center and a rigid backing therefor, said frame forming a recess forwardly of said backing, an inner sheet of flexible material completely fitting the recess and having its opposite side edges extending forwardly of said recess, each of said side edges being bent marginally so as to form a flange, a plurality of flexible separators positioned within said recess and extending forwardly of the latter, said separators being arranged in parallel spaced :relation with respect to each other and to the forwardly-extending side edges of said sheet and joined to the sheet to form with said side edges a plurality of independent channel-like compartments within and without said recess, filler material in "each of said compartments and completely filling the latter, and a flexible cover extending over the front of said compartments and havirig its edges secured to said frame, the flanges on the forwardly-extending side edges of said sheet "being attached to said 'cover.

2. 'A backstop for --a bowling alley comprising a unit adapted to be vertically. arranged with re lation to an alley and including =a frame having an open center and a rigid backing therefor, said frame forming -a recess forwardly of said backing, an inner sheet of flexible material-corn"- pletely fitting the recess and having its opposite side edges extending forwardly of said recess, :a plurality of flexible separators :positioned within said recess and extending forwardly of the latter, said separators being arranged in parallelqspaced relation with respect -to each other and to the forwardly-extending side edges --of said sheetand joined to the sheet to form with said side-edges a plurality of independent channel-like compartments withinand without said recess, :filler materialineach ofsaid compartments and'completely filling the latter, and a flexible cover-extending over the front of said compartments and secured to the extending edges of saidsheet and said frame.

ALBERT B. HACKER' I'.

REFERENCES "CITED The following-references are of rebord in the file of this patent:

"UNITED STATES PATENTS Nrunber Name Date 1,791,725 Joseph i Feb. 10,1931 1305;26'7 Treiber May 12, :1931 1,917,970 Hayes July -11, 1933 2,232,422 English Feb. 18,1941 2,306,825 McGill Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 178,044 Great Britain -Apr. 13, 1922 

